Kitten recovering after chemical burn

A 5-month-old mewing kitten was found living on the street with chemical burns on his face and tongue, hardly able to breathe.

It’s likely the cat tried to drink a toxic liquid before he was found in Detroit, said Kevin Hatman of the Michigan Humane Society in Bingham Farms. Hatman said if the cat continued to live outside, he probably wouldn’t have survived.

“He was obviously in a tremendous amount of pain,” said Hatman, a resident of Ferndale.

Humane Society veterinarians performed three surgeries on the tiny kitten after he was found in September — one to remove the necrotic skin around his mouth and nose, the second to remove the hard palate in his mouth that had been damaged, and the third to perform reconstructive surgery.

“The mouth is constantly exposed. You can see his tongue. And there are potential medical issues, but our veterinarians are pretty confident that, because (issues) haven’t developed yet, there’s a very low risk for future severe medical problems,” said Hatman.

Staff named the now 10-month-old domestic short-haired kitten Chairman Waffles, and, although his injuries are still healing, he is now ready for adoption.

“We’re looking for a really special adopter. This is a condition that will have to be managed his entire life,” said Hatman. “He is going to need regular observation and to be looked at by a vet every year at least.”

Chairman Waffles is currently living in Oakland County with his foster mom Dr. Amy Koppenhoefer, a veterinarian at the Humane Society, and another cat named Mr. Burns. Hatman said Chairman Waffles and Mr. Burns have become friends. He’s hoping, if possible, that the two cats could find a home together.

Koppenhoefer said, “I always end up fostering the special needs guys who come in here. He just happened to be exceptionally special.”

Hatman said now, Chairman Waffles is a “typical cat.”

“He’s happy, always on the go, jumps around and likes to explore. He likes to cuddle and purrs a lot. If you didn’t look at him, you wouldn’t know that he’s been through what he’s been through,” said Hatman. “His recovery, both physically and emotionally, has been incredible.”

Hatman said the surgeries and antibiotics for Chairman Waffles cost the nonprofit thousands of dollars — money which all came from donations.

He said, “A lot of people don’t know that we’re a private, independent nonprofit. We’re not the city pound. We exist solely because of our supporters. We don’t get any money from the government. What we do is entirely possible because people support us. ... The need is very great.”

For more information about adopting Chairman Waffles call 313-872-3400. To donate to Michigan Humane Society, call 1-866-MHUMANE, visit www.michiganhumane.org or go to the administration building at 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220 in Bingham Farms.

Contact Monica Drake at 248-745-4687 or email her at monica.drake@oakpress.com. Find her on Twitter at monica_adele.